History in the making at Maidan Square - Hoofdinhoud
"We are witnessing history in the making in Kiev today," said Hans van Baalen (VVD, Netherlands) who is back in Kiev as part of an ad hoc official delegation visit of MEPs, following the tumultuous events of the past week
"The contrast between the tragic deaths of over 70 protesters in recent days, killed by forces loyal to the Yanukovych Government, and the scenes in Maidan following the appearance of Yulia Tymoshenko could not be more stark. This is a victory for democracy over authoritarian rule and due entirely to the dogged determination of the people of Ukraine in braving both freezing temperatures and a violent crack down by security forces."
"Despite Putin's best efforts to thwart the will of the people, the oppressive regime has been forced out and the country has not been split in half. On the contrary, the solidarity from across the country for the protesters in Maidan is most impressive."
"The country now deserves the EU's fullest support in stabilising the country's finances, assisting the interim government in preparing for free and fair elections and in establishing a roadmap for closer trade and cooperation that was originally planned last year before being spurned by Yanukovych."